1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for handling a stack of pallets.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Pallets have been used for many years in connection with the storing, shipment, and handling of goods. Pallets are normally constructed of wood and are subject to damage because of the rough handling they receive. Therefore it is necessary periodically to inspect pallets so that damaged pallets can be segregated for repair or disposal.
Various systems have been developed to automate pallet sorting operations and therefore keep sorting time to a minimum. Such automated sorting operations often utilize a so-called "up-ender" which comprises a substantially L-shaped member which is tiltable from a position in which the long side of the member is upright to one in which the long side is horizontally disposed. An upright stack of pallets to be sorted is received by the up-ender when it is in its upright position; that is, with the long side extending vertically. The up-ender is then tilted downwardly to a horizontal position so that the pallets can be individually removed from the end of the stack and sorted into acceptable, repairable, and nonrepairable pallet groups.
While the use of up-enders has tended to reduce pallet sorting time and to keep man power requirements to a minimum, a substantial amount of physical effort is still required by pallet sorting personnel. For example, as the sorter removes individual pallets from the stack of pallets on the up-ender, he is forced manually to slide the pallets along the up-ender. When near the bottom of the stack, this might require the worker to slide the pallet as far as 15 feet from one end of the up-ender to the other. This is not only time consuming but requires substantial physical exertion by the worker.
Another drawback with operations using a conventional up-ender is that once the horizontally disposed up-ender has been emptied of pallets, the up-ender must be tilted to its upright position to receive the next stack of pallets. The up-ender is then tilted downwardly to its horizontal position. This upward tilting, pallet stack loading, and downward tilting typically takes around one minute and thirty seconds. During this time, the operator is typically standing by, doing nothing. Because it normally takes only about two minutes to actually sort all of the pallets in a stack, by adding an extra minute and a half, the handling time for each stack is increased by about seventy-five percent.
Hence, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for handling pallets which effectively and reliably overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of the prior art proposals. More specifically, a primary object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of physical labor required during pallet sorting operations. Another object is to reduce the time expended by the worker in individually removing pallets from a horizontally disposed up-ender. Yet another object is to reduce the time delay in sorting operations caused by the upward and downward tilting of the up-ender. A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method which achieves the above objects without substantially increasing the complexity and therefore the expense and maintenance requirements of pallet handling equipment, and which permits existing equipment to be retrofitted to include the features of the invention.